Martial Law in Skibbereen

For a few hours last night and today, the army are running Skibbereen. A 40 strong Platoon from Collins Barracks in Cork was dispatched last evening after Cork County Council requested military help ahead of the expectation that the deluge would result in the Ilen river breaching its banks and flooding the town for the third time in 8 weeks.

The business people in the town today welcomed the intervention that saw thousands of sandbags being filled overnight and delivered to the town this morning. Rest assured however, that after this emergency, authority will be returned to the council and martial law will cease.